14 April 2019 SATVI wins Social Responsiveness Award

University of Cape Vice Chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng announced the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative as the winner of the 2018 Vice Chancellor Social Responsiveness Award during the April 2019 Health Faculty Sciences graduation.

Highlights of SATVI’s SR initiatives include the Carina’s Choice drama production and comic book, which tell the story of a mother who decides to enrol her baby in a TB vaccine trial. These productions were developed with the input of the community during structured engagements and featured a travelling drama performed by school learners at local high schools, who used the comic book to develop the script.

The Kick TB Schools Program, a school-based TB awareness programme, was aimed at primary school learners using catchy songs, dances and educational videos to teach learners the signs and symptoms of TB, in order to improve their knowledge and promote a change in behaviour, attitude and perceptions about TB. A resulting Kick TB poster competition created a platform for learners to express themselves creatively about TB through art and writing.

The “TB under the Spotlight” Science Engagement, a collaboration with the Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics at Stellenbosch University, the Provincial Department of Education and UCT Anthropology Department, resulted in a travelling science exhibition that was taken to high schools in the Cape Winelands area. This interactive exhibition aimed to demystify TB, promote a career interest in TB research, and provide research scientists with an opportunity to engage with learners about TB and the work that they do.

Through World TB Day activities, SATVI has managed to draw upon a range of international, national and local stakeholders to raise awareness about TB in the Boland district. These activities have included a Wellness Day featuring fun races, soccer, traditional games, TB screening and a Public Library TB Awareness Programme, which was held at local libraries.

A drama production about TB awareness entitled Lienkie’s Lungs, funded by a Wellcome Trust International Engagement Award, was developed through a participative process involving the local community. The Lienkie’s Lungs travelling stage production was performed in local communities and live on national television. The drama was complimented by a portable graffiti wall mural, which was developed in a unique street art collaboration with the local community.

The organisation wishes to acknowledge the UCT Drama and Anthropology Departments with which SATVI has developed a strong relationship over the years collaborating around engagement programs and research.

SATVI’s portfolio of community engagement activities has made a substantial contribution to knowledge production about community engagement within TB research, and has resulted in a number of academic outputs, including postgraduate dissertations, peer-reviewed journal articles, a book chapter, and poster and oral presentations at local and international conferences. SATVI has been the recipient of two Welcome Trust International Engagement Grants. However, the community engagement initiatives have been sustained primarily by an unwavering commitment by SATVI leadership and staff to develop innovative ways of engaging with the communities within which they work, so that together we can better fight TB.